What if Gamache...

mainly sunny, warm, temps 23

Beautiful day...not exactly hot, but very comfortable. Went for breakfast to Cowansville (french toast) then Loblaws for groceries. Also went to the nursery there to pick up some perennials on sale...two mallows and two digitalis. Then when Michael went to the bank I went to the post office to mail off some things.

then home by 10:30. Took the laptop to the screen porch and spent the day editing. Went through 40 pages...took until 5:30pm...without a break. But - I found a problem in the story...not really in the plot, but in a particular and important clue. It doesn't work...need to re-think what to do.

So Michael and I went for a swim and talked about it. Still not clear. Now need to really think...might have to even break out the gummi bears (emergency supply).

speaking of which - I climbed back on the elliptical torture machine after the swim. Helps to think. Sadly, even that didn't do the trick.

but I know a solution is out there...something better than what I have. Something that actually makes sense! That would be good. Odd to walk around all evening trying to solve this one problem...picking it up and turning it around and around, looking at different angles. What if Gamache... What if... How about... Suppose...

Still, nothing. But it will come.

Back at it tomorrow. Then dinner over at Lili and David's home. Lili's wonderful...she reads my final drafts and corrects my terrible written French. However, it's getting better...but still can't remember where the accents go on 'Allo'. As in, 'Oui, allo.'

Did an interview last night with Sisters in Crime...their Guppy division, which is this wonderful organization for aspiring writers of crime fiction. If that sounds like you, check them out. I believe if you go to SinC you'll find a link.

Take care...hope you're well and enjoying your summer!!!

With great Elan

sunny, hot, temps 30

What a day! Started with a huge thunderstorm, then forecast for rain the whole day, but it cleared up by 11am and was sunny and hot. Fantastic.

Poor Elan. About twenty minutes after my last blog she slipped by the pool and sprained her big toe. We were worried it was broken for a minute or so, but Uncle Michael checked it, and it's just bruised. But painful.

Then she got very quiet. Then, over dinner, she started to cry. It was heartbreaking. Not because her toe hurt, but because she was homesick. Poor one. We tried to comfort her. I hugged her and told her it was natural to feel like that. I had too. Everyone does their first time from home. And I told her if she really wanted to go we'd make sure she got home.

It was touch and go for a while. But she called her mother who was fantastic. She also told Elan it was natural to be sad, and a little lonely, and to miss home. But to remember, as well, that this was a great chance to have fun. To find out about other people and cultures. To learn new things. And to dig down deep inside herself and find the courage to not only stay, but to have fun.

Wow.

By the time Elan hung up she was laughing, and not a tear since.

What courage - of the little girl, but also of the mother, not to say, 'Come home' but to tell her daughter she was magnificent, and strong and to remember that. And to look deep down and find what's there.

How lucky are we to witness that.

And little Rozie, our niece, what great devotion and friendship she's shown. It's hard to standby and see someone hurt. And have it affect her own good, carefree time. It can be a downer. And Roz just kept being kind and supportive and loving. And patient. Really, she must be adopted. Can't be a Penny. Though, thank heaven, she has a great deal of her mother Mary about her. So the Lingman's triumph.

Today we took the girls to Sutton for some shopping and ice cream while Doug took the guys golfing...then home for swimming in the pond and the pool.

Trudy, left out of her cage by mistake when we all left, had a field day with the chocolate chip cookies and the hamburger buns.

So everyone's happy.

Talk to you tomorrow.